Good oral hygiene keeps your mouth looking and elling healthy. This means clean teeth, no food debris, pink gums, and no sore or bleeding gums when you brush or floss. No persistent bad breath If your gums hurt or bleed when you brush or floss, or if you have persistent bad breath, see your dentist. These symptoms may indicate a problem. A dentist or hygienist can educate you about good oral hygiene, and can also point out which parts of your mouth you should pay special attention to when brushing and flossing. How to achieve good oral hygiene? Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important aspects of protecting your teeth and gums. Healthy teeth not only make you look good and feel good, but also make it possible for you to eat and speak normally. Good oral hygiene is vital to your overall health. Routine preventive care, including brushing and flossing the right way, can s the problem from developing, and treating a worsening condition is far more painful, expensive, and troublesome. In addition to regular visits to the dentist, there are some ple and easy steps we can take to greatly reduce the risk of cavities, gum disease and other dental problems. These include: brushing your teeth thoroughly twice a day, flossing daily, maintaining a balanced diet, limiting snacks between meals, using toothpaste and other tooth care products that contain fluoride, and rinsing your mouth with fluoride if recommended by your dentist. Children under 12 drink fluoridated water, or supplement with some fluoride products if they live in a fluoride-free zone